Cyclones soccer embarks for state titleRussellville Cyclones head soccer coach Jared Fuller was glad to see the Russellville High School student section turn out for Saturday’s Class 6A state semifinal match against the Mountain Home Bombers. “It’s sad sometimes when there are just 10 people in the stands,” Fuller said. “We need more people coming out to support us. Having that crowd there was so great. It was crucial. The baseball team finished their game early and they came out, ...

Local sports briefs (May 22, 2014)Memorial Day bream tournament Monday ATKINS — The annual Memorial Day bream fishing tournament will begin with registration at 7 a.m. Monday at the Lucky Landing Boat Dock on Lake Atkins and will conclude with a weigh-in at 11:30 a.m. Registration fee is $10 per person for boat or bank fishing, with an extra $5 for the biggest bream prize, a $25 Lucky Landing gift card. Another prize will be awarded to the most weight within limit. Pottsville ...

Halls display success from hard workThe University of Missouri Tigers starting right guard Mitch Hall spoke to the Russellville Cyclones football team on Monday about how special it is to put on the Cyclones jersey on Friday nights. He ought to know — Hall graduated from Russellville High School in 2011 and spent his Fridays in high school battling for the line of scrimmage under Cyclones head coach Jeff Holt for four years. “I told them about having pride in the program,” Hall ...

Cyclones send four to Meet of ChampionsHEBER SPRINGS — Russellville Cyclones head track coach Charlie Goodman believes Russellville was well represented in the 2014 Meet of Champions in Heber Springs on Saturday. The annual Meet of Champions pits the No. 1 competitors from each track and field event from each classification’s state meet against one another to determine the best-of-the best. Russellville sent sophomore Taylor Hathcoate for her third-place (10’8) finish in pole vault...

Lady Cyclones fall in semisThe Russellville Lady Cyclones lost in heartbreaking fashion in the semifinals of the Class 6A State Tournament at Cyclone Stadium Saturday as they fell 2-1 to the Siloam Springs Lady Panthers in double overtime. After the Lady Cyclones tied the game at 1-1 with 2:34 left in the second half, the Lady Panthers scored in double overtime to advance and end Russellville’s season. Siloam Springs drew first blood with a goal from the left side with ...

RHS baseball state bound, Lady Cyclones fall shortBENTON — Russellville Cyclones pitcher Mark Moyer struck out 14 Benton batters to help RHS defeat the host Panthers 5-1 in the semifinals of the Class 6A state tournament Saturday. The win advances Russellville to the state championship game on Saturday at Baum Stadium on the campus of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. The Cyclones have a shot for their third state title in baseball, after winning championships in 1993 and 2001. Russ...

Cyclones soccer earns title shotRussellville Cyclones goalkeeper Saul Sierra faced off against eight Mountain Home Bombers in penalty kicks Saturday night at Cyclone Stadium. Seven times, the soccer ball slipped past his grasp and into the net — but the final time, Sierra pulled it to his stomach, fell on the ground and sent the Russellville Cyclones to the Class 6A state championship game with an 8-7 victory over Mountain Home. Mountain Home won each of its playoff games le...

Cyclones thump No. 2 seed El DoradoThe Russellville Cyclones soccer team shut out the El Dorado Wildcats 5-0 on Friday at Cyclone Stadium in the quarterfinals of the Class 6A state tournament. El Dorado entered the playoffs as the No.2 seed from the South, so it was the perfect time for the Cyclones to “click,” Russellville head coach Jared Fuller said. “We’ve worked all year on following shots and staggering your position,” Fuller said. “Earlier in the year we would get shots,...

Lady Cyclones stun Searcy, reach semisThe Russellville Lady Cyclones caught the Searcy Lady Lions off guard Friday as they sent they sent one of the Class 6A state tournament’s two No. 1 seeds home with a 1-0 victory to advance to the semifinals at the Russellville Soccer Complex. Elizabeth Thomen’s goal just one minute into the second half set the stage for the Lady Cyclones’ upset. “We have had a saying all year to just believe,” Russellville head coach Kelly Young said. “They b...

Dover, Hector win playoff gamesNASHVILLE — The Dover Pirates defeated the Clinton Yellow Jackets 10-3 in the first round of the Class 4A state tournament on Friday. The win was Dover’s first state playoff win since 2005. “It’s a pretty big deal,” Dover (19-7) head coach Jason McGhee said. “Our guys, we’ve had a good year and you want to finish it off in the state tournament. We thought we had a winnable game, so we went out and did what we have to do.” Luke Price and Garret...

Lady Cyclones top Mountain Home 3-0BENTON — Scouting paid dividends for the Russellville Lady Cyclones in Friday’s Class 6A state quarterfinal softball game against the Mountain Home Lady Bombers at Benton High School. Russellville was able to scout the Lady Bombers after Thursday’s 18-0 win over the J.A. Fair Lady War Eagles and used what they learned in Friday’s 3-0 win over Mountain Home. Russellville (20-2-1) assistant coach Mickey DuVall said the team saw a few tendencies ...

Cyclones reach 6A baseball semisBENTON — The Russellville Cyclones defeated the Sheridan Yellow Jackets 4-0 in the second round of the Class 6A state tournament Friday at Benton High School. Russellville scored a run in the first and third inning before adding two in the fifth. In the first, Andy Campbell hit a line drive to score Mark Moyer on a triple. Campbell stepped up at the plate again in the third with an RBI single to score Cody Underhill. Moyer scored Jacob Barker ...

Schedule change for 6A soccer semifinals Russellville High School’s soccer teams will still play at 5 and 7 p.m. today in the Class 6A state tournament semifinals. They’ve just changed places. Due to a conflict with its graduation ceremony, Siloam Springs asked to play the Russellville Lady Cyclones in the 7 p.m. game. Instead of the Lady Cyclones playing at 5, Russellville and the Lady Panthers will square off at 7 at Cyclone Stadium. The Cyclones will face the Mountain Home Bombers...

Cyclones softball advancesBENTON — The Class 6A defending state champion Russellville Lady Cyclones softball team scored 15 runs in the first inning of Thursday’s 18-0 shutout rout over the J.A. Fair War Eagles in the first round of the 6A state tournament. Russellville head coach Harley Sisson said the Lady Cyclones were still able to learn a few things, despite the lopsided scoreboard. “Believe it or not, we got something out of it,” Sisson said. “Because we were try...

Danville tops Melbourne to advanceHARRISON — The Danville Little Johns baseball team defeated the Melbourne Bearkatz in the first round of the Class 3A state tournament in Harrison on Thursday. Danville’s Jay Trusty went 2-for-3 to spark the Little Johns to a 3-1 victory. Trusty singled in the third and fourth innings. Danville pitcher Brett Wilkins struck out 10 batters across five innings. Kyle Frost pitched the final two innings to pick up the save. The Little Johns stayed ...

Atkins softball advances to second roundHARRISON — The Atkins Lady Red Devils defeated Melbourne 13-3 in the first round of the 3A state tournament Thursday. Atkins will play the Bald Knob-Fouke winner at 2:30 p.m. today.

Cyclones win in BentonBENTON – The Russellville Cyclones baseball team defeated the Siloam Springs Panthers 10-0 in the first round of the Class 6A state playoffs at Benton High School on Thursday in game delayed several hours by inclement weather. Russellville scored seven runs in the fourth inning to blow open the scoreboard against the Panthers. The Cyclones scored one in the second and two in the sixth to set the final score. Russellville pitcher Jacob Barker r...